


There's a Place for Us

by KureKai_King



Category: ARGONAVIS from BanG Dream! AAside (Video Game)
Genre: Adventure & Romance, Fantasy AU, M/M, Royalty AU, YuuWata
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-22
Updated: 2020-08-22
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:27:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,791
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25808104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KureKai_King/pseuds/KureKai_King
Summary: Wataru is simply a bard who also acts as a sort of advisor to his prince, Yuuto, to whom he is also in a secret courtship with. However, Yuuto would rather run around and escape his princely duties instead of learning what he must in order for his future reign as king. When a visit from an unkind face sets to provoke them both, Yuuto decides to take the final leap and finally ask Wataru something that will change their lives forevermore.
Relationships: Goryo Yuto/Matoba Wataru
Comments: 4
Kudos: 13





	There's a Place for Us

**Author's Note:**

> Uhh...this was supposed to be for Yuuto's birthday but I ended up doing something...else for that ^^;
> 
> "We can be the kings and queens of anything if we believe  
> It's written in the stars that shine above  
> A world where you and I belong  
> Where faith and love will keep us strong  
> Exactly who we are is just enough  
> There's a place for us" - There's a Place for Us by Carrie Underwood

Wataru walked through the halls of the castle with his faithful book tucked under his arm as usual, a feather quill and small bottle of ink held in the other. His eyes shifted as he grumbled beneath his breath before sighing in exasperation. No matter what day it was, or what the time was, Wataru always found himself looking for where the castle's crown prince had run off to. Mostly, he ran off to daydream and avoid his duties - although he was particularly fond of his historical lessons - and thus Wataru would always have to go seeking him out before trouble could ensue.

Since he'd already checked his chambers and being greeted with quietness, Wataru was heading down toward the stables. His prince often could be found there or out on the riding court to make the excuse of practicing his jousting. What the prince would actually be doing would be laying on the grassy field, letting his horse graze not too far away and Wataru would have to ignore the winces and grimaces as he scolded the prince for skipping out on important issues and concerns.

Making his way out into the courtyard, Wataru smiled a little as he could already hear his prince's voice drifting in the light wind; that soft and playful scolding followed by faint neighing signalling that the clouds were not enough of a distraction for the prince today. Striding across the courtyard with his boots crunching the many, many pebbles laid down and pressed into the earth, he rounded the corner of the stable barn and heard the sounds in the wind increase in volume.

"Yuu...," Wataru half-scolded lightly in warning as he turned the final corner and saw the amusing sight of a young man continuingly attempting to reach out and grab something from his horse's mouth; the proud and loyal white stallion whinnied and neighed in its own amusement as it continued to play. Wataru looked around and found an old stool, to which he set his ink bottle, feather quill and book down before turning back to the goings on.

"C'mon...you gotta give it back to me some time, y'know!" The prince grumbled, crossing his arms as he mildly glared up at the stallion. The horse neighed again and thrust his large head, sending whatever had been in his mouth soaring above the prince's head, to which he attempted to jump and grab, missing and hearing a sharp _shing!_ as it hit against the wall of the stable, sending some of the other horses inside into an temporarily alarmed shock. He turned to go and fetch the item and started when he saw Wataru, giving him a sheepish grin as he rubbed the back of his neck, "Heheh, you got me again, Wataru~"

"You should be inside doing your studies on your kingdom's trade and political systems, not out here horsing around! You are not known to this land as Prince Yuuto for no reason, it'd be in your best interest to keep that sealed in your head as a constant reminder".

Yuuto scoffed a little at Wataru's choice of words as he went and picked up the previously thrown item and Wataru felt the colour drain from his face before feeling it fill back up with an almost boiling red - why, of all things, had Yuuto and his horse been playing around with his own crown?! Heaven damn him if any of the jewels were cracked or had fallen off...he'd have to come back later and check around the area before a horse ate one or someone else found something.

Wataru honestly did his very best to keep the crown prince out of trouble...

"You worry too much," Yuuto began but continued before Wataru could cut into his latest excuse, "I get it though. You owe my father your life from when you first arrived here. But seriously, it's not like mine's any better than yours was, you have to admit that much".

"That's not the point! Yes, my father practically sold me to this palace but you're the one who discovered I write. If I have anyone to thank then it's you, Yuu," Wataru shook his head, they'd had this discussion plenty a time and now was definitely not the time for them to fall into the same old routine again - it was just another way for Yuuto to distract him and keep avoiding his duties as crown prince, "And I don't think I even _want_ to begin to know what you were doing with that horse of yours".

Yuuto chuckled and patted the white stallion on the neck heartily with a grin, "Argo is a good boy! We were just playing like we used to do as kids back when he was just a stubborn young colt. Back before he had that incident with Prince Nayuta's horse, Gyro...that bastard".

"Yuu! A prince shouldn't use such language! And yes, that incident was pretty nasty... But, anyways, put him back in the stables and we can perhaps catch the tail-end of your lesson. Preferably before we both end up in some bothersome trouble".

"Fine, fine, Wataru the bard knows best~" Yuuto raised his hands in mock surrender before leading Argo back into the stables and soon after he joined Wataru on the walk back to where the redhead bard had come from to look for him.

* * *

After Wataru had successfully managed to escort Yuuto to at least one of his lessons he'd supposed to be attending, he took himself to the small writing room he had graciously been given by the king after Yuuto had excitedly discovered his hobbies of writing songs. He sat at his writing desk, quill dipped in ink and carefully scratched the tip across his parchment papers, watching in satisfaction as the liquid bled into the paper, sealing his words as he wrote them down.

He had a lute laying on his bed to which he could play enough to be able to get a vague melody in his head if needed. He was a bard, after all, and a bard was not always just a songwriter. After all, how could one write music without a melody? 

Finishing his last lyric with a soft hum of a potential melody, Wataru couldn't stop the smile that came to his face as he heard the door creak open and Yuuto stumbled in, out of breath and collapsed on his bed. Wataru stood and went to close the door before walking over to stand above his ever-so troublesome friend. Yuuto grinned up at him before surprising him and pulling him down on top of him, causing a soft squeak to spurt out of Wataru's mouth.

"Y-Yuu! You have to quit doing that..."

A chuckle, "You can't go against me; your prince~ Besides, I need this after hearing what Father is planning for the coming weekend".

Wataru's interest perked, "An event of some kind? Is it for you to try and be impressed by yet another princess hoping to become your betrothed? I hope not..."

Despite already being in a secret relationship with his prince, Wataru hated watching princesses practically overeagerly flaunt and exaggerate their reactions around Yuuto whenever a potential courtship would take place. Wataru knew it was all for the sake of alliances, but he seemed to be the only person who understood Yuuto's desire to be freed of traditional bounds. As a simple bard, there was nothing he could do about it, but Yuuto had promised a few years back that he'd stall any kind of royal engagement best he could.

_"We're gonna make it work, Wataru, trust me! It's you and me against the world; I'll get you promoted to being my squire of some kind, and then when I'm crowned as king, I'll change the rules so that you can properly rule beside me. If not, then we'll elope and be happy together that way! I promise, Wataru, nothing in this world is going to separate us or tear our love apart just because you weren't born a princess or I wasn't born as some peasant girl..."_

Yuuto's response cut into Wataru's thoughts as the lute was gently pushed aside and the two shifted to get more comfortable in each other's arms, "Father wants us to have a feast with Prince Nayuta's kingdom. And no matter what excuse I came up with he shot it down like rain to a fire pit. Father also says you're to attend and stay by my side so at least that's a good thing, I guess? Right?"

Wataru sighed. Any event involving Yuuto and Nayuta was bound to cause trouble as the two had a major neutral hatred for each other since they were young. It hadn't helped that Yuuto's childhood friend, Reon, had been sent away from the village to live in Nayuta's palace to which when Nayuta had realised their old friendship, he had been nothing but smug about making Yuuto's life as miserable as he could. Wataru had, at first, often thought of himself as Reon's replacement when Yuuto had first told him the story of the dark-haired boy that Yuuto would sneak into the village to play with as a child, but he had been quickly assured by his prince that they both played equal and important parts in his life.

"You know he's only letting me stay close to you this time because of how you and Prince Nayuta nearly tore each other's throats out last time. Even if you did have understandable reasons..."

"He's a nasty piece of work! Can't believe he's going to be a king someday. A king! And he's going to do all sorts of terrible deeds, especially to us because he just wants my life and my reign to be absolute Hell. The devil might as well come for me now!"

"Don't say that, Yuu... You're burning up from getting frustrated, Prince Nayuta isn't worth getting worked up over. Besides, all we really have to do at this feast is keep out of his way, right? No interaction, no trouble".

Yuuto sighed, nodding and nuzzling his face into Wataru's neck as his arms tightened around his middle, "You always know what to say...that's why I love you~...," he giggled slightly before Wataru felt his warm smile pressing against his skin and he reached up a hand to run his fingers through Yuuto's hair gently (taking light note that his crown was once again not upon his prince's head). 

"I love you, too, Yuu~..." Wataru said softly, his heart beating in perfect time to Yuuto's from which he could feel beneath the palm of his hand resting on the prince's chest.

* * *

The day of the feast arrived and Wataru stood at Yuuto's side loyally, his eyes scanning over his prince's attire to check a final time that everything was in place. Yuuto's father was waiting in the throne room where Wataru had helped set up the banquet tables and seating as well as the table décor all under the watchful eye of the cook's apprentice; Rio. He and Wataru never truly saw eye to eye but luckily their duties usually kept them in different parts of the castle and its grounds. 

"Do you think Kenta will come too?" Yuuto suddenly asked and Wataru felt a slight chill run down his spine, "Since we found out he became one of Prince Nayuta's bodyguard soldiers..."

Wataru sighed, "I'm not sure I'd want to see my brother even if he did arrive. That's probably one invisible wound that will refuse to heal no matter how I look at it..."

As his gaze dropped to the ground momentarily, Yuuto took his hand in his own and gave it a reassuring squeeze, a silent apology for bringing the topic up. They were quickly forced to drop their hand-hold as the sound of horses clip-clopping along came toward them and they watched as the guards opened the palace gates to allow a carriage pulled by two strong horses rode through into the courtyard and came to a halt just in front of them.

Wataru heard Yuuto's breath hitch and knew his prince was trying his best to keep his composure and not launch himself at Nayuta in an angry fit purely due to their natural dislike of each other. He wanted to hold his hand in comfort, but if they were found out to be currently courting in secret...Wataru didn't want to think about what the consequence would be. The door on the side of the carriage opposite them opened and closed with a soft slam and footsteps trod over the pebbled ground to come to their side and Yuuto's breath hitched even further and his eyes darted to Wataru in instinctive panic.

Wataru met his eyes and turned to the person as they opened the door and Nayuta stepped out. Kenta hadn't been chosen for this occasion, but Reon. Wataru only knew what Yuuto had told him about Reon, but it was clear this visit was hurting his prince's lost friend more than he was trying to let on. Judging from the way Nayuta's eyes gleamed with their burnt amber, Wataru knew he had chosen him precisely with the intent on provoking Yuuto.

"Just keep to the protocol lines, Yuu, and we can have this day end as quickly as it's come".

Yuuto gave him a curt nod as Nayuta stepped up to the both of them, smirking.

"Prince Yuuto," the silver-haired prince's voice drawled eerily on Yuuto's name as he eyes flickered between them, "And his loyal little _stray"._

Wataru ignored the insult. Nayuta didn't usually turn on him, but anything was game if it got Yuuto riled up enough to cause some petty fight that could be well avoided. That was Wataru's job today, after all.

"Prince Nayuta," Wataru placed a hand over his heart and bowed politely, keeping his expression neutral and refusing to give away his feelings. He only prayed Yuuto did the same. "Welcome to our kingdom, it's an honour to have such a guest," The words were blatant lies but the situation asked of them to greet without any given hostility.

"Heh," Nayuta rolled his eyes as he pushed past the two and made his way into the castle behind them, "You've got that one trained well, eh, Yuuto? Misono! Get moving, we don't have all day!"

Reon followed with his head bowed and he flinched when Yuuto reached out for his shoulder but shot him an apologetic look over his shoulder once he passed by. He mouthed the words, "I'm sorry," and ducked his head again as he followed Nayuta down the halls of the castle.

Yuuto looked after him longingly and Wataru pushed down the pang his felt inside. There was nothing they could do for Reon if he was one of Nayuta's soldiers, no matter how much they wished they could.

"Yuu...," Wataru called attention to his prince and Yuuto turned to him with sadness glimmering in his gaze, "He'll be fine. Today will be fine".

Yuuto swallowed and nodded, taking Wataru by the wrist gently - a way of holding hands without being questioned or discovered - and they followed their guests to where everyone else would await their arrival. Wataru thanked his lucky stars that the rest of Nayuta's kingdom had arrived beforehand - or those who had been chosen to attend - and that Yuuto's father had only asked them to greet Nayuta's arrival. If they had had to greet everyone then Wataru knew Yuuto would've reached the end of his rope much sooner.

* * *

The feast went as peacefully as it could aside from Nayuta tossing light insults in Yuuto's direction, but each squeeze of Wataru's hand on his leg beneath the table had kept him from rising to the challenges. Reon had looked uncomfortable the entire time and Wataru had attempted to try talking to him when he noticed him leave the hall for a moment, but Reon had told him not to worry and there hadn't been an opportunity since. 

Just as the day turned into evening, Yuuto and Wataru were excused from the hall and made their way into the gardens. It was where they took a walk together every day around this time, giving them relief from their duties and letting them just be themselves in each other's presence. But this time, their walk was soon interrupted by Nayuta following with Reon loyally in tow. Yuuto glared at the other prince and Wataru touched his arm in warning.

"Aren't you two cosy, huh?" Nayuta grinned, "How does everyone feel, I wonder? Reon, having been replaced as Prince Yuuto's closest friend with this pathetic stray. Oh, and your brother also works at my side. Ouch, that must hurt a lot, huh? Such betrayal for the both of you, and yet you're both too pathetic to fight for what you both want".

Yuuto opened his mouth but Wataru cut him off, "I'm perfectly happy with what I have, thank you. And I'd appreciate it if you'd stop trying to aggravate His Highness".

Nayuta laughed, a mean cackle, "You're a funny one! But alas, what exactly are you to this kingdom? A bard? A servant? Reon here at least had the guts to become a soldier and now he is bound by oath to lay his life down to protect mine".

Yuuto clicked his tongue, "Shut your mouth, Nayuta," he growled, dropping his formality, "Wataru is none of your concern, you have no right to question his place in these walls. I don't care what you have to say. Reon's your soldier, and I'm proud of him despite my undying hatred of you. Wataru isn't his replacement, and he knows that. _Nothing_ you say will change that".

"Tch," Nayuta kept his gaze on Wataru and smirked more, "You have such hope for this loser, don't you, huh? If I were you, I'd leave this place. It's already crumbling, and when this loser gets to sit on the throne and wear the bigger crown, it'll finally fall into nothing but dust and ruins. I mean, why else would his father trust his brothers more? He might be crown prince whilst they're only soldiers but they also have much more important jobs just to keep him from doing anything stupid".

"I'm not listening to this any longer. Let's go, Wataru," Yuuto grabbed Wataru's wrist and pulled him away further into the gardens, Nayuta's laughter echoing from behind.

* * *

The two secret lovers came to a stop at the large pond, surrounded by many bushes and blooming flowers in the night. They sat together on a white stone bench and Yuuto slackened, holding his head in his hands as he screwed his eyes shut and trembled.

"I'm sorry, Wataru... I tried... But he's just so infuriating! And to go after you like that! I...I won't let him hurt you by any means".

"Yuu, it's alright...," Wataru rubbed a hand on his back in gentle circles, "We both know what he's like. I'm only sorry that I can't do more to help you be at ease as a prince..."

"What do you mean...?"

"When you have people like that to deal with, it'll be even worse when you're crowned king. If I can't ease you with just Prince Nayuta then how am I supposed to ease you with far worse in the future?"

Yuuto lifted his head and cupped Wataru's face, stroking his thumb across his cheek, "Wataru...," he leaned forward to press their foreheads together, "You do so much more for me already than you have to. The people here only care and tend to my every beck and call because of my position, and you know I've always hated that. You're always putting me back on that path and it hurts you because you know I don't want it, and yet you do it because it's for my own good," Yuuto dropped his hand and wrapped his arms around Wataru's middle, pulling him flush against his body.

Wataru brought his hands to his shoulders and reached one further up to brush his fingers through Yuuto's hair, taking the crown from his head and gently placing it behind him before going back and properly stroking his hair in comfort. Yuuto squeezed him, burying his face in the crook of his neck and nuzzling him.

"I love you, Wataru... I know it wouldn't do us any good to reveal our true relationship but sometimes I just want to climb to the highest tower and scream to the whole kingdom and the borders beyond that you're the love of my life and I want nothing more than to be with you! I'll do anything, Wataru... I... I...," Yuuto lifted his head and Wataru silently gasped as he saw tears in his prince's eyes and watched as he moved away, letting go and dropping to one knee on the ground at his feet.

"Yuu, what are you...?"

Yuuto took his hand and pressed a kiss to the back, his palm and then the inside of his wrist, looking up at him with pleading, teary eyes, "The only person I want by my side is you. I don't need anyone else. Not my father, not my brothers, not this stupid palace! All there is in my heart is you. You own every inch of this beating muscle and I can't bear the ache it feels whenever you're away from me. I never want us to be apart again".

Wataru tilted his head, "Yuu, what are you saying? You can't propose to me! We can't-"

"Run away with me, Wataru," Yuuto said, looking him dead in the eye and pressing Wataru's hand to his chest, "Run away with me and we can do whatever we want, wherever we want, and _be_ whoever we want. We don't have to be just a bard and a prince, or a squire and a king. We can be ourselves. Our _true_ selves. Don't you...want that? With me...?"

Wataru stared down at him in shock before his expression softened into a slight frown and he slid down from the bench, going down on his knees and now it was his turn to cup Yuuto's face and press their foreheads together as he smiled and leant in to press his lips against his prince's.

"You're an idiot sometimes with all these crazy ideas, and this is probably your craziest idea yet aside from actually courting me, but...let's do it, Yuu. Let's run away together".

And the way Yuuto's eyes lit up and sparkled, Wataru's heart skipped a beat and something deep inside told him that this was to be their greatest adventure together yet.

**Author's Note:**

> If you enjoyed, feel free to come yell at me over on Twitter: [DemonWings](https://twitter.com/DemonWings)


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